How rare are 80 degree days in early May?

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Seattle Center on a (rare?) sunny and warm day in early April. (Photo courtesy: Jason Erskine, April 7, 2014)

Perhaps you've heard the news, especially if you've been anywhere near a water cooler the past few days:

It might hit 80 degrees on Thursday!

Considering earlier this decade, we didn't get to 80 degrees until July for two consecutive years (2010 and 2011), the news is understandably being met with a mix of excitement and confusion: It never gets to 80 in April and early May in Seattle, does it?

Turns out, it does, it just hasn't for a while. Record highs this week are in the low 80s -- 85 on April 30 and 81 on May 1 -- not once, but twice. While as of this writing, Wednesday's forecast isn't quite up to 80 degrees, if it manages to get there, it hasn't reached 80 in April since 2004.

Anyway, the National Weather Service put out a helpful statement that shows all the climate stats for not just Seattle, but for Olympia, Hoquiam, Forks and Bellingham. Just remember it's essentially a one-and-done for 80 this time around as we'll be back around 60 by the weekend.

A FEW OF THE LONG RANGE MODELS HAVE BEEN HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF 80 DEGREE HIGHS IN WESTERN WASHINGTON DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. ON AVERAGE...THE FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY OCCURS IN THE SECOND HALF OF MAY FOR THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL INTERIOR...AND IN THE FIRST HALF OF JUNE FOR THE COAST AND NORTHERN INTERIOR. HERE ARE THE FIRST 80+ DEGREE STATS FOR THE LOCAL CLIMATE SITES IN WESTERN WASHINGTON.

SEA-TAC AIRPORT (SINCE 1945)

AVERAGE FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY: MAY 23RDEARLIEST 80+ DEGREE DAY: APRIL 1ST 1987FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS:2013 MAY 5TH2012 MAY 14TH2011 JULY 2ND2010 JULY 7TH2009 MAY 29TH

OLYMPIA (SINCE 1948)

AVERAGE FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY: MAY 16THEARLIEST 80+ DEGREE DAY: APRIL 11TH 2004FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS:2013 MAY 4TH2012 MAY 13TH2011 JUNE 4TH2010 JUNE 23RD2009 MAY 16TH

QUILLAYUTE (SINCE 1966)

AVERAGE FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY: JUNE 8THEARLIEST 80+ DEGREE DAY: APRIL 1ST 1987FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS:2013 MAY 4TH2012 AUGUST 3RD 2011 AUGUST 20TH 2010 JULY 6TH2009 JUNE 3RD

HOQUIAM (SINCE 1953)

AVERAGE FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY: JUNE 14THEARLIEST 80+ DEGREE DAY: APRIL 16TH 1999FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS:2013 MAY 4TH2012 AUGUST 4TH2011 SEPTEMBER 3RD2010 JULY 6TH2009 JUNE 3RD

BELLINGHAM (SINCE 1949)

AVERAGE FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY: JUNE 15THEARLIEST 80+ DEGREE DAY: MAY 4TH 1953FIRST 80+ DEGREE DAY FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS:2013 JUNE 29TH2012 JULY 8TH2011 JULY 24TH2010 JULY 7TH

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